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1.0 INTRODUCTION
The aim of this project, Theorizing Architecture is to allow students to analyse and theorise
architecture through the understanding of architecture in term of language with vocabulary and
grammatical structure. Students are required to analyse architecture and urban forms in relation to
relevant architectural theories.
The objective of this essay is to study and analyse the relationship between the neighbourhood of
Subang Square (SS15, Subang Jaya) and the theory by Le Corbusier. SS15 is chosen to be studied
and analysed as the site has an interesting human’s culture and lifestyle. This essay will be focusing
on the three main factors that impact the site through the understanding of Le Corbusier’s theory.
1.1 SS15, Subang Jaya
Figure 1 : Location of SS15, Subang Jaya
Source: https://www.google.com/maps/
Subang Jaya is one of the busiest suburban cities in Klang Valley which is 20km West of Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. It was established in the year of 1974 and now it is administered by Subang Jaya
Municipal Council (Subang Jaya Municipal Council, 2004). Subang Jaya consists of SS12 to SS19,
Bandar Sunway, USJ and etc. It covers an area of 161.8 sq. kilometers with a population of over
450,000 people (Subang Jaya Municipal Council, 2009).

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In the heart of Subang Jaya is where SS15 is located, a popular and vibrant commercial and
residential area (Figure 1). SS15 is developed by Sime UEP (a subsidiary of Sime Darby) which is
completed in the year of 1998.The location of SS15 is very strategic as it is near to the townships of
Petaling Jaya and it is surrounded by many amenities. For example, Subang Jaya City Centre in
SS16 is just across the street of SS15. Subang Jaya Medical Centre in SS12 is right beside it. The
accessibility to SS15 is very convenient via New Pantai Expressway and Federal Highway. It is also
near to Shah Alam Highway and North Klang Valley Elevated accesses.
Nowadays, SS15 has become a trend setting area due to its wide population of students as there
are quite a number of higher education institutions situated in that area (Michael, 2014). The student
population here is about 20,000 with 80% from outstation (Leong, 2008). Also, it has become a
famous place where the youngsters will hang out during the night.
1.2 Site – Neighbourhood of Subang Square
The site chosen to carry out this project is the neighbourhood of Subang Square. Subang Square
is located in the centre of SS15. It is a high rise office building with a shopping gallery on its lower
floors. The surrounding is filled with shop-office blocks and commercial lots. This site is chosen as it is
very interesting and it is one of the better sites that can be related through the theories of Le
Corbusier.
Figure 2: Site (Neighbourhood of Subang Square)
Source: https://www.google.com/maps/
Subang Square

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1.3 Le Corbusier & the Planning of a Contemporary City
Le Corbusier (Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris) was a Swiss-born French architect who belonged
to the first generation of the so-called International school of architecture (Corbusier, 2015). He
approached the field of urban planning more slowly than he did in the field of architecture. Le
Corbusier’s theory of urban planning, as it developed over the following decades, is a search for these
basic principles. In the interest of clarity it may be divided into four stages: A Contemporary City
(1922), The Radiant City (1935), The Great Waste (1937) and Regional Planning (1939) (Guiton,
1999).
The theory “the planning of a contemporary city” from Le Corbusier can be represented by SS15,
especially on the site – the neighbourhood of Subang Square. The theory focuses on a lot of
elements but centralized plan plays the major role as Le Corbusier is famous for its design on
centralized plan which has been often contrasted to Frank Lloyd Wright’s decentralized plan. He also
mentioned on strict separation of zoning according to the function of the space. Le Corbusier focused
on open space and he stated that buildings should be built around it.
2.0 FACTORS THAT IMPACT THE SITE
2.1 Urban Spatial Planning
Urban spatial planning is very crucial to form a good urban neighbourhood. The urban spatial
planning of the neighbourhood of Subang Square is very strategic. In Le Corbusier’s description of 'A
Contemporary City of Three Million Inhabitants' (Corbusier, 1929), he stated "The city of to-day is a
dying thing because its planning is not in the proportion of geometrical one fourth. The result of a true
geometrical lay-out is repetition. The result of repetition is a standard." This proves that Le Corbusier
Figure 3: Portrait of Le Corbusier
Source: http://www.biography.com/people/le-corbusier-9376609

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is a strong supporter of geometry (grid) in planning. The site - neighborhood of Subang Square is
mapped according to its grid which leads to different zones. With the aid of gridlines, the repetition of
the massing forms a perfect form of the urban spatial planning.
Next, as Le Corbusier’s centralization theme was strict separation of societal functions, he
divided separate zones for workplaces, residences, shopping and entertainment centres (Tungare,
2001). Figure 5 shows that in the neighbourhood of Subang Square, commercial lots are more on the
West and South of the site whereas residential area is on the North and East. A higher educational
institution, Taylor’s Business College is located on the South of Subang Square. It is very obvious that
the area is designed in a centralized theme and the societal function is separated clearly.
Figure 4: Grid lines form a repetitive geometrical layout of the site
Figure 5: Spatial Planning (Zoning) of site

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Subang Square is centrally located in the neighbourhood (Figure 6). Le Corbusier also stated
that a centrally located core performed the "higher" functions in his cities. Figure 7 proves that Subang
Square is the only high rise office building with a shopping gallery on its lower floors in SS15. It marks
the difference of its function compare to the surrounding buildings. Thus, it meets the requirement of
“higher” function through Le Corbusier’s theory.
2.2 Population
The population of the site is mainly office workers and students as the main building on site in
Subang Square and Taylor’s Business School (Taylor’s College), which is located right opposite of it.
Figure 6: Location of Subang Square which is centrally located on site
Figure 7: Subang Square as the only high rise office building of the site
Figure 8 & 9: Subang Square and Taylor’s Business School
Source: http://mypropertieshub.com/Properties/Subang_jaya/Subang_square

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Subang Square is the only high rise office building on site as all the residential houses and shop lots
are just 2-storeys building.
In “A Contemporary City" (1922), Le Corbusier mentioned “The higher the density of a city’s
population, the shorter the distances to be covered…However, though we must increase the density
of the population, we must also greatly increase planted areas…We must therefore build the city
vertically”. Although there are no apartments or condos found on site, the main population comes
from Subang Square and Taylor’s Business College.
As Subang Square is a high rise office building, it can accumulate a lot of people in the
building/area. In addition, Taylor’s Business College is located right in front of it. Taylor’s Business
College is a college that provides excellence pre-U studies since 1969 (Taylor’s College, 2014). This
makes the area around Subang Square and Taylor’s Business School highly populated. Therefore, as
the density of the city centre increases, the business affairs around, especially the shopping gallery
and commercial shop lots will increase greatly. The business of the commercial shop lots, mainly the
eateries will increase due to high number of students and office workers visiting during lunch hour.
Figure 10: The main population of the site comes from Subang Square and Taylor’s Busniess College

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Besides that, due to the location of Subang Square and Taylor’s Business College, a lot of
office workers and students prefer to stay somewhere near the buildings. Hence they choose to stay
at the 2-storey terrace house around which is just walking distance to either Subang Square or
Taylor’s Business School. Due to the high amount of students and office workers staying on site, it
boosts up the property of the site (Figure 13). Figure 14 proves that the average sales price of the
property of SS15 is very high in this past two years. The rental of the 2-storey terrace starts from
RM1,300 to RM4,900 (Propwall, 2013). This attracts a lot of investors to invest in that area.
Consequently this leads to a better economy and property of that site. Also, the population of site will
increase highly.
Figure 11: Office workers from Subang Square will visit the commercial area greatly
due to its high population
Figure 12: The main customer of the eateries on site is students from Taylor’s
Business School specifically during lunch hour
Figure 13: The existence of Subang Square and Taylor’s Business School boost up
the property of the site

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2.3 Open Spaces
In the neighbourhood of Subang Square, there is an open space (field) on the North-East of
Subang Square (Figure 15). Open space plays a significant role as it acts as a space for the people to
carry out their social activities. Children will be spotted at the field during evening time and there are a
lot of people will be jogging along the path of the field during early morning and evening time (Figure
16). Besides, the open space is surrounded by the residential houses. This allows the resident to
come out from their houses and interact with each other whenever they want.
Figure 14: Chart of SS15, Subang Jaya Average for Sales Price
Source: http://www.propwall.my/subang_jaya/ss15
Figure 15: Open space which is located on the North East of site

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According to Le Corbusier (Etchells, 1922), he said that “sports must be an everyday activity,
and they must take place right outside the houses.” In this goal in mind, Le Corbusier greatly
extended the ideas he had for his “contemporary city” (Guiton, 1999). By applying Le Corbusier’s
theory on site, the large open space acts as a place for people to carry out different sports activities
throughout the day. Figure 17 shows that the 2-storrey terrace houses are built around the open
space so that it is easier for the resident to carry out their daily sport activities. Moreover, a basketball
court is centrally located for the residence to gather and play around (Figure 18). Although Le
Corbusier’s theory is applicable on site, the site itself might be a dangerous place as well.
As mentioned earlier, there are more students staying in that area. It has become one of the
crime’s targets. In the past few years, the crime rate on site has been increasing gradually. The
resident does not go to open spaces that often due to their safety. The resident of site prefers to go
Figure 17: 2-storey terrace houses are built around the open space
Figure 18: Basketball court for people to gather and play around
Figure 16: Pathway provided for people to jog around the open space

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other places to carry out their sports activities. This makes the open space useless in the end thus
this contrasts with the theory. Le Corbusier’s theory can be applied a few years back but not for now
due to the safety of the residence to carry out their sport activities in an open space.
3.0 SYNTHESIS
Through the analysis, the site offers interesting insights on the urban development in Subang
Jaya based on Le Corbusier’s theory. Although Corbusier has a lot of elements in this theory, only
certain aspects of the theory relevant to the site context is analysed.
As mentioned earlier, the urban spatial planning in the neighbourhood of Subang Square is done
in based on grid lines which leads to every zone is separated according to its societal functions. From
the analysis, it might lead to some changes in term of urban spatial planning in the future but it should
still have a clear separation according to its societal function as this makes a city/ area looks more
systematic in a way. At the same time, this will lead the people to have a clearer image and direction
on wherever they want to go, just like the city of Boston by Kevin Lynch. Lynch (1960) said “Each part
of Boston is different from the other. You can tell pretty much what area you are in”.
Next, the population of site is high due to Subang Square and Taylor’s Business School
compared to the other areas in SS15. Indeed, building the city “vertically”, as mentioned by Le
Corbusier, will boost up the economy of a city. The present context shows that the 2-storey terrace
houses are very run down and it needs a lot of renovation to make the house liveable and new. Based
on the analysis, the government might make some changes on the housing area sooner or later.
There will be a chance that the houses will be demolished and be replaced with condominiums to
accumulate more resident when the population of the site hits a certain limit. Therefore the site will
transform from a sub-urban area to a beautiful cityscape. As Corbusier (1922) said, “We must
increase the density of the population….therefore we must build the city vertically”.
Also, open space plays an important role to the people to carry out sports activities according to
Le Corbusier. In these past few years, this theory is no longer that suitable on the site itself. The crime
rate has increased tremendously and people are scared to hang out or play in the open space due to
the crimes that happened tremendously in the past few years, especially snatch theft. Ten years later,

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there will be greater potential for it becoming an indoor basketball court or indoor football field due to
the safety of the resident. Although it might be safe for the resident to play, they will lose the fun and
joy of experiencing natural air in the field. Also, it will lose its beauty acting as one of the landmarks of
the site.
Finally, the site is full of potential to be developed into a greater city. Everything will change
eventually according to time as time passes but Le Corbusier’s theories can still be applied on site.
Besides the three main factors mentioned earlier in this essay, the site can still be studied and
analysed in order factors, such as circulation, human’s behaviour, social issues and etc. For
example, how does the orientation of the buildings impact the circulation of the site? Architects and
urban planners in the future will have to think of human’s lifestyle, comfort and safety to design a
better place for living. As what Le Corbusier said “Contemporary cities cannot meet contemporary
needs unless they are adapted to new conditions” (Guiton, 1999).
4.0 CONCLUSION
This essay was intended to study the relationship between the neighbourhood of Subang Square
and Le Corbusier’s theory. Although most of Le Corbusier’s theories are idealistic and very rigid, the
study offered interesting insights on the urban context and development while applying Le Corbusier’s
theory. Conclusively, this essay is an attempt to bring the chosen site, which is neighbourhood of
Subang Square and Le Corbusier’s theory closer to each other and understand its relevance in the
present context.